Thermoformed wading pool with integral slide and hand rail

ABSTRACT

A wading pool, sandbox or like thermoformed structure is provided with an integral slide, hollow hand rail, and ladder step molded into the structure. The structure is configured to provide the slide and a slide mounting platform, disposed above the top of the side walls of the structure, with sufficient strength and rigidity in combination to require only a single, simplified, inverted U-shaped, tubular support under the slide mounting platform adjacent and within the hollow peripheral edge of the structure, to stabilize and to support the slide mounting platform. With such an arrangement, assembly is simplified and the container may be easily folded after assembly for transport without dismantling.

1451 Sept. 30, 1975 1 1 THERMOFORMED WADING POOL WITH INTEGRAL SLIDE AND HAND RAIL [75] Inventor: Ascher Chase, Virginia Beach. Va.

[73] Assignee: General Foam Plastics Corporation,

Norfolk, Va.

[22] Filed: Sept. 13, 1973 [21} Appl. No.: 396,680

[52] US. Cl 4/172; 272/565 R; D 13/1 G;

D 34/5 E [51] Int. Cl. E04H 3/16; EO4H 3/18 [58] Field of Search 4/172, 172.19, 172.18,

4/l72.2l,l73,177,185 R, 185 H; D 13/1 G; 272/565 R; D 34/5 E 3,793,653 2/1974 Brooks 4/172 OTHER PUBLICATIONS StepN Slide" Magna Tek lnc.

Primary E.\'aminer.lohn W. Huckert Assistant E.\'uminer-Stuart S. Levy Attorney, Agent, or FirmMandeville and Schweitzer [57] ABSTRACT A wading pool, sandbox or like thermoformed structure is provided with an integral slide, hollow hand rail, and ladder step molded into the structure. The structure is configured to provide the slide and a slide mounting platform, disposed above the top of the side walls of the structure, with sufficient strength and rigidity in combination to require only a single. simplified, inverted U-shaped, tubular support under the slide mounting platform adjacent and within the hollow peripheral edge of the structure, to stabilize and to support the slide mounting platform. With such an arrangement, assembly is simplified and the container may be easily folded after assembly for transport without dismantling.

4 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures U.S. Patent Sept. 30,1975 Sheet 1 of2 3,908,205

US. Patent Sept. 30,1975 Sheet 2 of2 3,908,205

FIG. 4

I TIIERMoFoRMEI) wAnINo Poo'L W TH" INTEGRAL SLIDE AND HAND RAIL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION As is well known, many vacuum formed or otherwise molded thermoplastic wading pools, 'sandboxes, and the like have been proposed as play areas for smallchildren. Moreover, such structures have been proposed incorporating integral central or side slides and/or seats which enhance the attractivcness and play value of the structures. Separate ladder steps and hand rails are typically provided for the central slidepools. Inladdition, integral mounting platforms for the slides have been proposed which are well above the top cdge of the peripheral walls of the container providing a longer and higher slide and greater play valuethan slides which extend from or below the peripheral fl anges of the .container. I I

SUMMARY PRESENT INVENTION THE INVENTION"- In accordance with the present invention, akwading pool or sandbox is provided with an integralcentral slide and with an integral elevated mounting platform therefor disposed well above the top edges of the peripheral wall of the container, which slidehas integral hand rails and an integral ladder step. The new struc ture is comprised of a single sheet of a thermoplastic material which may be vacuum formed into the final configuration of the structure The structure isso eonfIgured with integrally formed supporting ribs, ladder step, and hand rails in a manner whereby only a single, symmetrical U-shaped tubular support member is required and assembly is simplified. This support is disposed adjacent the peripheral edge of the pool in a manner in which no portion of the tubular support extends inwardly of the container. Thus, the pool may be readily folded for transport, as desired, after assembly of the support.

The new pool structures, in accordance herewith, are vacuum formed from thermoplastic sheet material under heat and pressure by known techniques. The thermoplastic sheet material may be, for example, polyethylene, polypropylene, or copolymers thereof with other olefin monomers or the like.

Accordingly, with the foregoing and other objects in view, this invention will now be more particularly de scribed, and other objects and advantages hereof will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a perspective view of a wading pool embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the wading pool of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the wading pool of FIG. I; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary, cross-sectional view of the wading pool of FIG. 2 taken along lines 44 thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Referring now to the drawings, like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout the several views thereof. As indicated in FIG. 1, the new wading pool is comprised ofa bottom wall 11 surrounded by a circu- I Iafupstanding waII I2.(Although the wading pool is shown as circular in form, it will be understood that it is withinthe purview of this invention that the pool may be rectangular, oblong, square, etc.) A flange l4, havin'g' an a'rcuat'e cross section, is'provided along the upper edges of wall 12 while the bottom wall 11 is embossed with ridges 13 to provide a non-skidsurface'. As is conventional "with such pools,the side walls 12 haveincorporated therein molded-in ribs 16 or the like for providing enhanced rigidity to the walls.

As illustratedin FIG; 1, an integral central slide, gen- 'erally designated 20, is'forrn edas part of the container, and it includes a slide mounting platform 22 elevated substantially above the peripheral flange circurh scribing thepool. An inclinedj slide surface 24 extends from platform 22jto the bottom wall 11 of the container ("FIGSI'I and 2) slide has wide ribs formed iri'tapered side walls 26 and 28. The ribs 27 of side walls 26 and 28 of slide 20 provide enhja'nced rigidity for the slide.

Integral web-like, triangular seats 34 36, extend in a horizontal plane between the'slide side walls'26, 28 and thei outcrpool wall l2. Seat walls 12a extend from the bottom wall 11 to, the front edges of the seats, as shown.

v In accordance with the invention as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, integral hand rails 30, 32 .project upwardly from side walls 26, 28, to provide hand grips-for the user in the vicinity of the platform 22. Extending between these handrails 30 and 32 are integrally formed generally inverted ll-shaped supporting ribs 52, 53, which. provide lateraIsup-port extending from each side wall 26,; 28 andv generallydefine the edges of the mounting platform 22. Side rails 56, 58 of inverted U- shaped cross section extend from hand rails 30, 32 and border the side edges of the slide surface 24.

As best shown in FIG. 3, a recess 37 is formed integrally with an enlarged skirt portion of flange 14 adjacent the slide area, to provide an integral horizontal foothold 38 or ladder step for ascending the slide mounting platform 22. Moreover, the recess 37 provides further rigidity to the pool structure.

As an important aspect of the invention and as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a single, inverted U-shaped support 46, which may be formed, for example, from aluminum tubing or injection molded plastic, is sufficient to reinforce and to support the integral central slide. The supporting structure 46 is comprised of vertical legs 42, 44 interconnected by an upper horizontal crossbar portion 40 extending beneath the platform 22. The legs 42, 44 are generally converging to conform with and to bear against the outermost slide side wall portions 26a, 28a (FIG. 2). This enhances further the rigidity of the entire structure. More specifically as shown in FIG. 4, the crossbar 40 is nestingly disposed in the outermost sup porting rib 52 of platform 22. None of the supporting structure extends into the container body itself to interfere with folding of the container. The crossbar 40 has a single, centrally disposed hole for receiving a bolt and nut 48 for assembling the supporting structure 46 to the container structure. Similarly, each of the legs 42, 44 has a hole for receiving bolts and nuts 50 for securing the lowermost portions of the skirt 14a to the support. It will be apparent, however, that the connecting bolts may be arranged differently and more may be used if desired or other fasteners, e.g., self-tapping screws, may be used in lieu of nuts and bolts.

Thus, as should be apparent from the foregoing, there is provided in accordance herewith an improved thermoformed play structure or container for use as a wading pool, sandbox, or the like, having an integral central slide with molded in hand rails. Most impor tantly, the new structure reduces external support for the slide structure to a single, simple support which may be simply and quickly assembled with the pool. Only a few fasteners are required to attach the support.

The new structure enables a substantial reduction in the costs of thermoformed central slide pools to be realized. It should be emphasized, further, that with only a single, simple support, without separate steps or the like, an entire integrated structure is provided with a built-in slide, built-in hand rails and a built-in ladder step. Since the entire new pool structure is formed from a single sheet of thermoplastic material and a single support brace, the new structure is particularly adapted for mass production techniques. Thus, the new and improved pool structure compares most favorably from cost, use, and functional aspects with known thermoformed central slide pools.

While the arrangements of the new structure herein described constitute preferred embodiments of this invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to these precise arrangements of structure, and that changes may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention which is defined in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In a container structure comprised of a single thermoformed sheet of plastic material having a flat bottom wall of predetermined configuration and circumscribing peripheral side walls of a predetermined height extending upwardly therefrom; a flange at the upper edge of said side walls; and an integral sliding surface sloping upwardly from said bottom wall to a mounting platform therefor spaced well above the said predetermined height of said side walls; the improvement comprising a. side walls for said slide structure extending from said flat bottom wall to said mounting platform, said side walls being rigidified by heavy vertical ribs;

b. a hollow hand rail on each side of said mounting platform, each of said hand rails including portions integral with said slide side walls and forming upwardly extending extensions thereof; 1

c. a pair of generally integral horizontal ribs extend ing along the inner and outer edges of said mounting platform between said hand rails;

d. said flange including an enlarged skirt portion extending between said hand rails;

e. an inverted U-shaped support fastened to inner surfaces of said skirt portion. i

2. The container structure of claim 1, in which a. said support is a single, generally U-shaped aluminum tube including a generally horizontal crossbar extending between a pair of converging legs.

3. The container structure of claim 2, in which a. said crossbar is nestingly disposed in the outer horizontal supporting rib; and

b. each of said legs and said crossbar of said support is fastened to said skirt portion by mechanical fastening means.

4. The container structure of claim 1, in which a. a recess is formed in said skirt portion to establish a foothold. 

1. In a container structure comprised of a single thermoformed sheet of plastic material having a flat bottom wall of predetermined configuration and circumscribing peripheral side walls of a predetermined height extending upwardly therefrom; a flange at the upper edge of said side walls; and an integral sliding surface sloping upwardly from said bottom wall to a mounting platform therefor spaced well above the said predetermined height of said side walls; the improvement comprising a. side walls for said slide structure extending from said flat bottom wall to said mounting platform, said side walls being rigidified by heavy vertical ribs; b. a hollow hand rail on each side of said mounting platform, each of said hand rails including portions integral with said slide side walls and forming upwardly extending extensions thereof; c. a pair of generally integral horizontal ribs extending along the inner and outer edges of said mounting platform between said hand rails; d. said flange including an enlarged skirt portion extending between said hand rails; e. an inverted U-shaped support fastened to inner surfaces of said skirt portion.
 2. The container structure of claim 1, in which a. said support is a single, generally U-shaped aluminum tube including a generally horizontal crossbar extending between a pair of converging legs.
 3. The container structure of claim 2, in which a. said crossbar is nestingly disposed in the outer horizontal supporting rib; and b. each of said legs and said crossbar of said support is fastened to said skirt portion by mechanical fastening means.
 4. The container structure of claim 1, in which a. a recess is formed in said skirt portion to establish a foothold. 